


Cody's 13th Birthday Party

by frogy



Category: Shelter (2007)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-21
Updated: 2010-10-21
Packaged: 2017-10-12 21:29:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/129275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogy/pseuds/frogy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Comment!fic</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cody's 13th Birthday Party

Zach opens the sliding door and slips out into the chaos that is over a dozen seventh graders in their backyard. Cody's birthday is at the end of March, and earlier the first real spring sunshine made the backyard pleasantly warm, but now that the sun's down, it's cold. Zach folds his arms across his chest and shivers. He doesn't know how the girls can handle it in their premature summer skirts, even when their bare skinny legs end in monstrous Ugg boots. He doesn't know how their parents let them go out like that.

Actually, the whole girl thing is strange. They've lived a guy-only existence for such a long time that it's weird that there's currently half a dozen girls at their house. Almost all of their friends are guys. Of course, there have been Cody's teachers and Cody's friends' moms. But being a decade younger than most of them mean that they're Cody's friends' parents, and not his friends.

Apparently Cody knew what he was doing when he came to him and Shaun asking 'please can I have a party without you guys home at our house.' (The answer was a resounding 'no.') There's a couple of girls clustered around the table. And there's a group of just boy's running around causing havoc out on the lawn.

But Cody's with a mixed group. There's seven of them sitting sideways on two loungers. Cody's at the head of one of them with one of the girls sitting right next to him, so close they must be touching. (Zach thinks her name is Emily. Maybe. This is the first time Zach's met any of the girls.) Another girl sitting at the foot of their lounger, and another on the ground at her feet, in the space between the two chairs. Eric, Geoff, and Travis are on the other lounger.

They're far enough away from the door and the outdoor lights of the house that Zach can't make out the nuances of their actions or their conversation, until Travis shouts "Do it!" And there's no mistaking the hollers and fits-pumps of the guys goading something on.

If Zach weren't straining to see what's going on, he might have missed it, it's so quick. One second, Cody and maybe-Emily are looking at each other, the next Cody leans in and kisses her. It's a quick peck, and when Cody pulls back turning away quickly, looking at his friends cheering a chorus of 'yes.' Just as quickly, maybe-Emily's ducked her head and turns away from Cody, looking to her friends. Cody and maybe-Emily seem too embarrassed to look at each other, but they're still sitting right next to each other.

Zach's so distracted by what he's watching he doesn't notice Shaun joining him, until Shaun's wrapped his warm arms around him.

"Satisfied that they're not burning our house down?" Shaun asks softly, pressing a kiss behind Zach's ear.

"Huh?" Zach says, not processing Shaun's question.

"If they're not causing trouble, come back in. We can finish the movie," Shaun says.

But, it's too late, they've been spotted. "Hey Mr. A, Mr. W," Geoff calls out, waving in their direction. Cody and maybe-Emily jump apart at Geoff's shout.

"Hey Geoff," Shaun says. "How's the skateboarding going?"

"Good." Maybe-Emily is now huddled at the other end of the lounger with the other girls, and they've wasted no time starting a whispered conversation while the guys shout back and forth with him and Shaun. Cody uses the newly empty space next to him to turn and glare at them, arms crossed.

"Have you landed that trick yet? The-what was it?-kickflip?"

Geoff doesn't get to answer because Cody cuts him off with an exasperated "Da~ads."

"Sorry, sorry," Shaun says. "We just wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Well it's fine," Cody says. "Now go away."

"Cody," Zach says warningly.

"Sorry," Cody huffs.

"We'll be inside if you need us," Zach says, twisting out of Shaun's arms, and pulling him into the house behind him.

"We won't," Cody shouts behind them as Zach slides the door closed behind him.

Shaun moves through the kitchen, heading back to the den where they were watching a movie and only occasionally stopping to check on the party. Zach doesn't follow, leaning on the counter, causing Shaun to pause and turn to look at him when he says, "You'll never believe what I just saw."


End file.
